The creative team that birthed Is That Really You, God? – the story of Youth With A Mission’s early years – met together for the first time in nearly 30 years on Monday (April 16).

YWAM founder Loren Cunningham just happened to be visiting the YWAM Woodcrest base in Lindale, Texas, at the same time John and Elizabeth Sherrill were conducting a writers workshop with Loren’s sister Janice, who has co-authored all of Loren’s books.

The last time they were all together was 1983 when they met in Kona, Hawaii, to begin the research for the book. Is That Really You, God? now ranks as one of the most-translated (120 languages) and best-selling (3 million) Christian books of all time.

“It’s a joy to see Loren again,” said John. “What he and the YWAM family have done in the years since we helped write the book is simply amazing.”

John and Elizabeth are long-time editors of Guideposts magazine and helped writer or edit best-selling books like Born Again by Chuck Colson, The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom, God’s Smuggler by Brother Andrew and The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson.

It’s not surprising that in a book about hearing the voice of God that Loren would get direct spiritual guidance on the Sherrill’s involvement. “Back in 1969, people began urging me to write a book about the birth of YWAM, but the Lord told me it wasn’t time yet. He also told me then that the Sherrills would help write it.”

Loren never told the Sherrills about this word, but ten years later he met them at a conference, and they offered to write the story of YWAM.  Then the Lord gave him two more pieces of guidance – that the book must not be written until the mission launched its ship ministry and that Janice was to be involved in the writing.

YWAMers expected to launch the ship ministry in 1973 with the purchase of The Maori in New Zealand, but after the sale fell through, it took ten years for The Anastasis to sail.  Another issue was that Janice had never written a book before.  But John mentored her over the nine-month writing process and from that training Janice went on to do dozens of books, schools and workshops.

“This couple is a treasure of spiritual and writing wisdom,” said Janice. “We are so thankful to have them here with us this week.”

The 110-acre Woodcrest campus offers a variety of communication related schools, workshops and hosts the Resonatenews.com web team.

Missions teams from YWAM Resonate use creative arts, digital media and acts of compassion to reach as many as possible. YWAM Resonate teams have traveled across the US, Asia, Europe and Central America to reach out through writing, web, digital media and many different missions service projects. YWAM Resonate's arts and media mission is hosted at the Woodcrest campus in Lindale, in the piney forest of Eastern Texas, USA.

Helping reach others with God's love isn't complicated, but it isn't easy either. Giving our best is a costly expression of love:

• You can offer heartfelt prayers.  It takes effort and time--but it is an instant and powerful help for each person you pray for. Please pray for more workers and more resources for YWAM and other missions that are reaching the nations.

• You can give a donation. Money is much more than paper when it is given in love and devotion to God. None can go if they aren't sent--so send someone into the mission field with any provision God guides you to give. You can give online here or send a tax-deductible donation by mailing a check to "YWAM" at PO Box 1380; Lindale, TX; USA.

• You can go. This is actually the answer for Jesus' own prayer request for more "workers into the harvest field." Contact us right away to join one of the upcoming missions journeys or to volunteer locally.
  

The cost is real--but the rewards of missions are eternal. Thanks for helping YWAM reach out and express God's love throughout the world!